Blue plaques that aren’t worthy of their place

TOO many blue plaques commemorate only a tenuous connection to figures they are supposed to be honouring, it was claimed yesterday.

Britain has put up plaques for more than 150 years, making it the oldest scheme of its type in the world. But Mike Read, a member of the Blue Plaque Trust, said he regretted that so many societies, councils, pubs and hotels have staked such weak claims to be linked to famous figures.

The former Radio 1 DJ noted that more than 50 plaques have been put up around the country to Charles Dickens alone.

One in Rochester, simply commemorates a visit by the novelist, while another says that David Copperfield – one of his fictional characters – sat on the doorstep of a Dover building.

Mr Read said Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien has ‘quite a few’ plaques on buildings with only a slight connection. One, on a Birmingham hotel, boasts that he once ‘stayed here’.